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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Red Quilt

My Red Challenge Quilt needs a name - but for now - it is the "Red Quilt". I thought I would show you how I made those blocks, and you can laugh at me. I had this vision about how I could make them with out making it strippy or sewing it like a log cabin.... and it kind of worked.

So - grab a cup of tea ( or A Dr. Pepper) and look at all my pretty pictures.

First I cut 12 1/2 inch squares of red a white fabrics. I stacked them in stacks of 4, alternating a Red, White, Red, White ( or fabrics that kind of read that way)

Here's proof that it was 4 fabrics stacked together *grin*

Then I chose a random number - 3 inches, and cut it off two edges, and moved the edges out.

next I cut 3 inches off the top of the rectangle, and moved them off - just a little bit thought.

For the second round of cuts - I chose 1 1/2 as my magic number, and sliced 1 1/2 inches off of the edges. Again - just slid them away from the center - just a little!

Then I took 1 1/2 inches of the top and bottom as well, and was left with a nice square for the center.

Next I needed to rotate the fabrics, so for the inner round I took the top layer off and shifted it to the bottom layer.

For the second round, I moved the top two layers to the bottom.

Then I sat down and started sewing, until the first child showed up to breakfast.

I sewed and pressed until the first round was sewn on. And then I realized the disadvantage of this method, there would be fabrics hanging over and needing to be trimmed....because when you sew using a 1/4 inch seam.... there is shrinkage. Umm I mean the math doesn't add up perfectly - cuz of the seam allowances.

And then we started on the second round.

And because I am kind of lazy, I didn't trim the little extra peices out, and I just lined up the fabrics as best I could and sewed!

And ..... tada.........

Here are 4 finished blocks - that need to be trimmed up.... and so I did. The original peice of fabric was 12 1/2 inches square. When I squared them up at the end - they squared up to 10 1/2 inches.

For each stack of 4 fabrics I changed up the measurements so the blocks look a little different.

I cut 12 lights and 12 darks - and will end up with 24 blocks. In me head that setting will be 4 x 6 and will come out to approximately 40 x 60. To get it to Quilt of Valor size I need to make some pretty cool borders.... any suggestions?

As for the borders; keeping with the simplicity and to tie in the look of the blocks; I'd probably stagger three borders; small RED inner, big "lighter" middle-outer, biggest RED final outer border :0)

Hi Alycia,Whatever border you choose, it will be great. I might go with either a 4 patch or 9 patch to continue the square look or friendship stars.....Some funky border would work too!!Have fun,Someone will love it!Lynn